Skip to main content

Carnival sees return to cruises with 65 per cent fleet capacity by end of 2021

This handout file photo provided by Carnival Cruise Lines shows the MS Carnival Triumph departing New York harbor, on her inaugural voyage, July 27, 1999. (AP / Carnival Lines, Andy Newman) This handout file photo provided by Carnival Cruise Lines shows the MS Carnival Triumph departing New York harbor, on her inaugural voyage, July 27, 1999. (AP / Carnival Lines, Andy Newman)
Share

Carnival Corp said on Tuesday it expects to have resumed cruises with 65 per cent of its total fleet capacity by the end of 2021, betting that concerns over a resurgence in COVID-19 cases will not deter holidaymakers.

The company also said its Carnival Cruise Line brand has plans to bring back its entire fleet into service by the end of 2021, which would take total operating capacity to 75 per cent.

Cruise operators began sailing from U.S. ports in June with mostly vaccinated passengers and crew on limited capacity, but a few on-board infections and rising infections in U.S. states due to the Delta variant of the coronavirus has raised worries that the recovery for the cruise industry could be delayed.

Eight of Carnival's nine brands have so far announced plans to resume guest operations on 54 ships around the world. The company said more restart announcements are due in the coming weeks.

Carnival's shares rose about one per cent in premarket trade after falling 5.7 per cent Monday on fears of the Delta variant's rapid spread.

(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING World Court orders Israel to halt assault on Gaza's Rafah

Judges at the top United Nations court ordered Israel on Friday to halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling on South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide.

Local Spotlight

Stay Connected